Prince of Thorns

In the Tall Keep a steward informs Jorg that the King has retired for the night but that the royal magician, Sageous, would like to see him in the library. In the library, Jorg finds himself under Sageous’s spell and unable to hurt the magician.

Sageous touches some runes tattooed onto his arm, and Jorg becomes very tired, and Sageous promises that he will dream. Jorg manages to resist Sageous enough to grab him by the throat and tell him “my dreams are my own, heathen […] Pray you’re not in them” (page 132).

Robart, the steward, leads Jorg to his quarters and, despite marveling that the prince managed to resist Sageous, he also warns Jorg that the magician is a dangerous man whose enemies die in their sleep. Jorg tells Robart to have Makin guard the door to his quarters and collapses into sleep once he is inside.

Jorg wakes with a start to find himself naked and in bed. He hears a soft sound in the darkness and tries to feel his way towards the window. He opens the shutters but doesn’t see anyone in the room with him.

Jorg notices a large portrait of his mother in the room.